Are you ready for the most delicious, juiciest and succulent lamb you will ever have? Read on! Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for slow cooked Lamb Ragu. She says the advantage of the slow-cooker here is in the way lamb is roasted. And because you're using the slow cooker, this lamb comes tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Nicki told Tonia she browns the lamb meat in a skillet first, before adding it and the other ingredients to the slow cooker for several hours. She serves the lamb over pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 28- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Serving
- 12 ounces papperdelle pasta (or any pasta shape you prefer)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
- Fresh ricotta cheese
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
Make the lamb ragu
- In a large straight-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until evenly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a plate. Drain off and discard the fat.
- Place the skillet back on the stove and reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, along with the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and give it a good stir to combine. Pour the wine into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Slide the lamb back into the pan and cook until most of the wine is absorbed.
- Scrape everything to one side of the pan and then pour the tomatoes and their juices into the other side. Using kitchen scissors, roughly chop the tomatoes. Give everything a good stir, then sprinkle in the cinnamon and some more salt and pepper. Cook at a brisk simmer (adjusting the heat as necessary) for 15-20 minutes—stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat and tomatoes with a wooden spoon—until the vegetables are tender. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Discard the bay leaf. Do Ahead: The ragu can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently before serving.
Cook the pasta and serve
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, then transfer it back into the pot. Add the ragu. Cook over medium heat, stirring the pasta to coat in the sauce, 1-2 minutes (or until the pasta is cooked through). Add some of the pasta water as needed to create a nice sauce (it should look a tad watery in the pan, as the sauce will continue to absorb once it’s plated). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and the mint.
- Twirl the pasta into shallow bowls and top with a bit more sauce and a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese. Drizzle good quality olive oil over the ricotta and sprinkle with mint. Serve with more Pecorino Romano on the side for grating. Devour.
